1892/93 was a hard winter.

I spent much of January cleaning the church. Snow and ice covered various sections of the building, leading me to work most days and nights. I was eager to learn about the developments between the United States and Cuba.

Late February brought Herbert to the dungeon with the backlog of papers.

The weather around the dungeon still threatened more snow, so I focused on the papers from Crossway and Portland. I took them to the crypts below the church and began to read. The world had been busy.

Two stories were unfolding that caught my interest.

First Cuba.

President Samuel Fredrickson had negotiated with members of the Cuban Parliament for annexation. The American press lauded the idea of Cuba joining the Union.

"This is too gun-ho."

No opposing views were found in print; it was too unified to be real. I knew paper barons dominated the American Press, and I felt that they supported this annexation—the question of why was foremost in my mind.

The first thing that came to mind was completely obvious to anyone who gave it thought: money. Cuba was an excellent source of sugar and tobacco, commodities that would sell well in American markets and annexe, giving American firms greater control over production on the island. In my time, that is what the American government did, allowing the corporations to run the island as a colony.

Adding it as a state would restrict their ability to exploit the island and its population. In many other areas, it would give them a leg up by providing access to eminent domain claims, allowing them to seize what they wanted. It would also give the American government with another source of income through taxes. They could rake in extra money from the population and the commodities produced on the island.

From that standpoint, it made sense for Fredrickson to push for annexation. It was clear that he had supporters on the island who were willing to help push it through.

The second thing that came to mind when I thought about it was Cuba's strategic location. It was the largest island in the Caribbean, situated next to numerous trade routes that traversed the islands and extended into the Atlantic. Controlling the island would give the American government a vital forward staging base in the event of trouble breaking out with another nation in the area. It also removed the country as a possible strategic danger if someone else had bases on the island, as in the Cuban Missile Crisis in my time.

I gained a different perspective when I received the international papers from Portland. They acknowledged that many people in the Cuban government were actively encouraging them to join the Union, but this was not as widespread a populist opinion as they had portrayed. It caused a great deal of political and social tension within Cuba that was building.

On the island, extensive protests and calls for action emerged in the Cuban Parliament over the course of a century regarding those advocating for it. The largest party supported this initiative and maintained a majority within the Parliament. Many foreign commentators noted that only a small faction within the Cuban establishment was actively pursuing this Union.

"I wonder where this will end?"

The other story that interested me was the British announcements regarding Hawaii. Britain had annexed the islands, though the native monarchy still held a ceremonial position. The British had established a naval base there but had announced at the beginning of January that they were massively expanding it. The British decided to create the Pacific fleet and base it in Hawaii. The Admiralty had tendered contracts for a new type of cruiser with greater range than existing ones. This new generation of cruisers will have no rigging and will be wholly coal-powered.

This was not unexpected, and I knew that the Hawaiian Islands were a strategically positioned naval base to control the Pacific and protect the American West Coast in the event of trouble arising from that direction.

The American government protested this naval buildup, citing it as a provocation to the people of the United States. The rest of the world powers seemed ambivalent towards the project, as only France was a major player in the Pacific. The Japanese were only now beginning to make moves to create an empire, while the Germans were scrambling to gain control of what they could. Neither had any real power to project into the central and eastern Pacific.

Speaking of new ships, I noticed a brief article in the Portland Times mentioning that the first ships, financed by the Russian Empire and constructed in Imperial German shipyards, are beginning to arrive for their new owners. They were divided between the Baltic Fleet and the Russian Imperial Pacific Fleet.

As President Fredrickson had called for in his inauguration speech, the hulls of three 'modern' battleships were laid down in the United States. I was surprised Congress had come through, as they had always been quite anti-Navy due to the service's poor performance in the War of 1812. I had to admit that they did regain some of their prestige during the Civil War, as they had conducted themselves quite well with their limited numbers.

There was very little else that seemed to interest me. Some complained that the Tariff Act of 1890 was causing problems for some sections of American business. The current President was a strong supporter of the Tariff Act and had said that he would not lower it. I was no economic specialist, and then I paid little attention to such things as they did not impact me in any way. The only reason I paid any heed to it this time was the number of articles I have seen over the last few issues of both papers citing growing unrest with the act. I vaguely remembered it coming about three years ago.

This left me with much to think on.

March arrived, and the weather began to improve slightly.

The visitors started early this year.

It was not even mid-March when a rider approached the gates. It was late in the day, and the sky was overcast with dark, heavy clouds. It had been a dull day in both meanings of the term.

When he got closer, I got a good look at him. He was bundled up heavily as the weather was still cold, and rain was a regular addition to most days. Watching him tie his horse up, I took note of his gear. He had a satchel and a lantern. I identified him as a challenger from the Way from his knife. The distinctive blade was revealed as he attached it to his belt.

"Senior Ahmed said four were willing to try. Looks like the first is here."

He looked tense but determined. He was about 5'8" and of a slight build. He was possibly of Italian heritage, with black hair, brown eyes, and a moustache. He walked towards the gates. He crossed and stood before the plinth. He read the inscription and looked at the two paths. He took the southern route.

[Cult member is recognised as a Challenger.]

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I relaxed to watch the show.

Most of the snow is gone now, but some piles can still be found around the graveyard. The ground was soaked, and there was a lot of mud. The paths were clear…ish.

The Challenger was moving at a good pace, jogging with his blade now drawn. He was not hanging around; he cut through sections where possible, heading towards the church.

My Hunters were now active in the graveyard. They were looking for the Challenger in their hunting grounds. Roberson and McGregor were the most active at the moment, as they both knew their hunting grounds; he would be going through first.

McGregor spotted him but realised he was near the edge of his hunting ground and was soon on his trail. The Challenger had not seen him yet but was still making good time, pushing ahead as fast as possible.

He was soon running, trying to catch up with him, but the Challenger had too much of a head start and crossed out of his hunting grounds into Rodriguez's. He snarled in frustration and was forced to hang back, watching to see if he got another opportunity.

Rodriguez was now the Hunter in play. This part of the graveyard was denser, forcing the Challenger back to the pathways to navigate them. Rodriguez was watching the only path leading to the central ring, where the church was. Here, he was taking a position on top of one of the mausoleums directly next to the path, ready to pounce on anyone who passed. The Challenger could take another route and bypass him, but he hadn't seemed to notice that yet.

He had turned the corner and looked at the church. From where he was standing, it was a straight walk to the central ring and the back of the church. He had not yet noticed the Hunter on top of the mausoleum to his right, getting ready to jump on him.

He was still jogging with his blade drawn, ready for trouble. He constantly looked around, trying to find where the danger would come from. The problem was that he didn't look up.

Rodriguez jumped from the roof of the mausoleum, entirely taken by surprise. The impact knocked them both to the floor, with Rodrigues on top in a dominant position. I suspect that the impact knocked the air out of the Challenger, further hampering his ability to fight back.

A short but brutal struggle ensued as Rodrigues clamoured to a position straddling the pinned Challenger. His tomahawk was brought into use. The Challenger tried to block the weapon using his forearm to shield his head. He was able to knock away several of the bones before they caused any fatal injuries. Rodriguez changed tactics, using his tomahawk lightly to break the forearm that blocked his attacks. The Challenger cried out in pain from the wound, doing his best to keep the now badly bleeding arm in place. Rodriguez could pull it to the side now and ended the fight.

Multiple blows from a tomahawk blade caved in the Challenger's skull, killing him. Rodriguez got covered in blood and brain and shards of bone from his frenzied assault. At the end, he leaned back slightly, breathing hard with blood covering his face and a grisly smile of satisfaction.

[A Hunter has made a Kill]

"I will leave you to bury the body."

"Sí, señor." He was still enjoying the kill.

I gain nothing from searching the body and the horse's saddlebags. What little money he possessed was sent down with a horse to Herbert so he could dispose of the horse.

"Another Challenger to fail. Are they getting worse, or are my Hunters getting better?"

I strongly suspected that my Hunters were becoming too competent at their jobs. I wonder what this would mean for the future.

April arrived, and spring started pushing back the last winter holdouts.

Green was spreading across the land, and the flowers would soon appear. More animals were active in the forest. Across the river, a change was visible on the ridge. No more were there herds of cattle grazing there, as a farmer had appeared and separated the land into acre plots and was now ploughing the ground for planting.

Traffic along the road continued, but they constructed a bridge at the ford to allow easier river crossing. At the rate they were working, it was expected to take about a month to complete. That was the projected timetable as reported in the local paper. The town was also being served by another rail line from both the East and the West. At the time, the town had only a single rail line passing through it, but they wanted to expand it, as it was the most logical place for trains to pass through the mountains to reach Cascadia.

"Things are changing."

Part of me was happy about the changes, and another part was sad. The happy part knew that it meant more people were coming to the area and could accidentally wander into my dungeon. The other part of me was unhappy because, in some ways, I enjoyed my solitude.

I half expected Senior Ahmed to arrive, but he had not yet appeared. I suspect it was only a matter of time before he came to find out what happened to the first man to enter this year or to answer my offer.

May sees the World's Fair in Chicago, Illinois. According to the reports, it has been a great success.

Ten days later, less pleasant news was reported: the New York Stock Exchange crashed. This marked the end of a series of turbulent economic events, including the President's decision to raise national tariffs, among other measures, which ultimately led to the crash.

Late May brought Senior Ahmed back to New Midian.

He rode with an escort of four up the trail. The weather had been pleasant for the last three days, and the ground was solid. In the clearing, the horses stopped, and Senior Ahmed moved forward alone. He dismounted and approached the gates. I summoned my avatar as he approached.

"Senior Ahmed."

"Keeper." He replied.

"What brings you to New Midian today?"

"My elders have sent word that they are willing to enter into the agreement that you proposed." He was his usual smooth self. He had learned that I did not enjoy the verbal dance and got straight to the point.

"Excellent. In return for political protection on the state level, I will give you information about the future that will enrich your… organisation."

Ahmed nodded as I confirmed the terms. "As soon as we agree to the deal, the Way shall start to work in establishing itself in local and state government."

I said nothing for a few seconds as my mind raced. I expected they would turn me down, so what had changed? The only significant change recently was the stock market crash. Was that it?

"Then we are in agreement."

Ahmed nods that we are—time for me to honour my side of the deal.

"Have you read about the motorised carriages in the papers?"

Senior Ahmed frowned at my question. "I have. A passing fashion, I believe. I have seen them in the East. Noisy and unreliable things."

"Alas, no, Senior Ahmed. The internal combustion engine is here to stay. That is what you need to understand. It will change the world in ways you can barely understand."

"The knowledge you wish to give us is to invest in this technology." Ahmed frowned again, wondering if that was it.

"No, Senior Ahmed. The real secret is not the engine but what fuels it."

"The engines run on petroleum, that is what we should invest in?" Ahmed was trying to understand what I was pointing out to him.

"Oil. It will be the fuel that drives the next cycle of technological advancement, as coal has driven the current one. It will open much more as well."

"Oil? It will drive the future." Senior Ahmed was thoughtful. "Shame there are a few places that it is easily accessible, let alone in the United States."

"Texas."

"Texas?" Ahmed asked, confused.

"Texas. The largest oil field that can be easily accessed is in Texas. If you start exploration and drilling, even buying up the land to maximise the profit. The Arabian Peninsula is another future location to be aware of."

"What sort of demand are you expecting?" Ahmed asking.

"At first, little. But in a decade, much. A decade later, even more. Then we are talking about a near-endless demand for more than a century."

"What sort of value is expected. Millions?" Ahmed asked.

"When demand is at its height, millions will be made daily, but that is decades away."

Senior Ahmed's eyes bulged slightly at that as he sought to control his features and reaction. I had a good idea of how technology would evolve and how to take advantage of it.

"I will take your words to the elders. Thank you for honouring us with this deal. Farewell for now."

He turned and walked back to his horse. He mounted the horse, but I did not dismiss my avatar. I watched as he turned it and rejoined the other riders who had been waiting. Together they rode off back down the trail to the road.

I remained there thinking.

I had honoured my part of the deal. Now it was up to them to follow through on theirs. Could they screw me over? Most definitely. Would they? I was not sure.

If they listened and were smart, they could become a significant economic force. Was that a danger? Possibly.

Could this have unattended consequences? Again probably.

If they came through, I would be protected at the state level. I could later reach the federal level and be protected from all claims against my land. The United States Government was by the people for the people, but if you had money, you were far more equal than the others. Money always opens doors in the long run.

I looked around the area in front of the gates and at the trail's end as I thought.

"I need to get the boys out here; it's getting overgrown again."

This was my first significant move in the world using what I knew could be possible. Everything before this was reactionary and low-key. I want to stay hidden and do what I must to be ready for as many potential issues as I can envision.

I could see the storm building in Europe and knew it was only a matter of time before it broke. I could see other possible storms building around the nation.

"What does that mean for the country? Who knows?"

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